The Florida Panthers are chasing a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and sat four points behind the Boston Bruins for the final wild-card berth entering Saturday’s games.
Florida has several veterans with expiring contracts, which has put the team in an interesting dilemma ahead of the March 2 NHL trade deadline. The Panthers want to make the playoffs, but it would be smart to acquire assets for players who aren’t going to be part of the team’s plans after the 2014-15 campaign.
One player likely on his way out is forward Sean Bergenheim, whose agent has asked the Panthers to trade his client, per Harvey Fialkov of the Florida Sun Sentinel.
“(Bergenheim’s agent Todd Diamond) said he asked Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon for a trade about (nine days) ago after Bergenheim was scratched in three straight games, although the last one was attributed to a flu bug,” Fialkov writes. “In the three games prior, Bergenheim had a game-winning goal against the Blue Jackets and an assist.”
Bergenheim would be a quality depth acquisition as a third- or fourth-line forward for a contending team. He has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 39 games this season, in addition to 17 points (12 goals, five assists) in 23 career playoff games.
The 31-year-old winger also has been a very good puck-possession player, with a 55.3 Corsi-for percentage at even strength, and he ranks 15th among all forwards with a 57.7 scoring chance-for percentage during 5-on-5 play.
Bergenheim is a relatively inexpensive option with a $2.75 million salary cap hit, per NHLNumbers. He has an expiring contract.
Thumbnail photo via Kevin Hoffman/USA TODAY Sports Images
